Railer boys basketball team overcomes slow start, beats Althoff 59-56 in overtime to earn 3rd place in Eaton Tourney

 

[December 02, 2024]  LINCOLN -- Perhaps it had to do with the cold temperatures that have moved into the region, but it took a little while for the offense of the Railer boys basketball team to heat up in its game against Althoff Catholic on Saturday.

Then, after some late heroics by Althoff senior Bryden Gryzmala Lincoln fired up again to beat the Crusaders 59-56 in overtime to capture third place in the Lincoln Eaton Round Robin Tournament.

The Railers got on the board first when Karson Komnick hit a layup to give Lincoln a 2-0 advantage. But Althoff reeled off 12 consecutive points to take a double-digit lead before Railer Drew Hayes scored on a field goal to make the score 12-4 after one quarter.

Lincoln then took a one-point lead by scoring 9 consecutive points courtesy of a three-pointer by Brady Miller sandwiched by a pair of treys by Komnick. The score seesawed back and forth with three ties before Gryzmala hit a three-pointer to put the Crusaders up 23-20 at halftime.

Railer Gabe Smith opened the scoring in the third period by hitting a jumper to pull LCHS to within one. Following a Crusader field goal, Smith then hit a three-pointer to knot the score at 25-25. Lincoln outscored Althoff 16-4 in the first six minutes of the second half to build its largest lead of the game at 36-27. But the Crusaders added eight points in the final two minutes of the quarter while holding Lincoln scoreless to make the score 36-35 entering the final period.

The first three scores of the fourth quarter resulted in three lead changes. Zach Winkeler hit a trey for a one-point Althoff advantage before Komnick hit a three-ball to give the lead back to Lincoln. Gryzmala then hit another three-pointer, and Althoff led 41-39.

Lincoln outscored the Crusaders 12-4 over the next five minutes to build a 51-45 lead. With 25 seconds remaining, Gryzmala was fouled while hitting a three-pointer for Althoff. The 5-foot-10 senior made the ensuring free throw to make the score 51-49.

Brody Tungate hit a free throw to extend Lincoln’s lead to 52-49. Althoff advanced the ball to midcourt and called timeout with 15 seconds remaining. On the next play, Railer Drew Hayes deflected a pass out of bounds by Althoff to give the Crusaders the ball in the corner with 11 seconds left. Following a timeout by each team, Althoff inbounded the ball but it appeared the Railer defense denied the Crusaders from running the play they planned.

With time running down and Lincoln players defending the three-point line, Gryzmala called for the ball beyond the top of the key. After a few dribbles to his left and juking a step forward to create some space, Gryzmala dribbled back to his right near the volleyball line and launched a high-arching shot that tickled the cords of the net as the buzzer sounded. The basket knotted the score at 52-52, so the teams went to overtime.

15 seconds into the four-minute overtime period, Gryzmala drove in to hit a midrange jumper and give Althoff a 54-52 lead. For the Railers, Karson Komnick hit one of two free throws after being fouled on the following possession to pull the Railers to within a point. Winkeler hit a jumper in the lane for the Crusaders to give the visitors a 56-53 lead, but those would be Althoff’s final points of the game. Lincoln scored the final six points of the contest with four from Hayes and two from Komnick to eke out a 59-56 victory.

“We never ever should have been in the situation we were in if we understand what we’ve got to do to win,” said Lincoln head coach Neil Alexander. “But our guys, they stayed tough. They could’ve folded when they [the Crusaders] hit the three at the end to tie the game. The guy hit probably about a 30-footer.”

Komnick turned in his best game of the young season while leading Lincoln with 24 points. The 6-3 junior hit 8 of 10 field goals (including 3 of 4 three-pointers) and 5 of 6 free throws. Hayes tallied 15 points for Lincoln and Miller added 12.

Gryzmala led all scorers with 28 points for Althoff. Winkeler scored 16 for the Crusaders and Jeremiah Conway added 10.

Lincoln hit 48.8 percent (21 of 43) overall from the field, including 9 of 23 (39.1 percent) on three pointers. The teams tied with 23 rebounds apiece. The Railers committed 14 turnovers while forcing 10 miscues by Althoff.

The win earned Lincoln third place in the Lincoln Eaton Round Robin Tournament and moved the Railers’ record to 3-1. Althoff finished in fourth place with a 2-2 mark.

In the championship game of the tournament, Mt. Zion outscored Champaign Centennial 45-18 in the middle two quarters en route to a 67-42 victory. The matchup was a repeat of the 2023 championship contest between the two schools, also won by Mt. Zion.

Railers Drew Hayes, Karson Komnick and Gabe Smith were chosen to the all-tournament team for the 2024 Lincoln Eaton Round Robin Tournament. The full all-tournament squad chosen for the 2024 tournament includes:
• Sherrod Clark, Centennial
• Sam Driscoll, Mt. Zion
• Cornelius Griffin, Cahokia
• Bryden Gryzmala, Althoff Catholic
• Nick Hankins, Jr., Belleville West
• Drew Hayes, Lincoln
• Lyncoln Koester, Mt. Zion
• Karson Komnick, Lincoln
• Gabe Smith, Lincoln
• Elijah Wade, Springfield

Lincoln’s next contest is a conference matchup Saturday at 7:30 PM against Sacred Heart-Griffin. The game is part of the 2024 Capital City Showcase at the BOS Center in Springfield featuring eight games throughout the day, including all Central State 8 varsity teams. The full schedule of the day is:
• 9:30 AM - Springfield Calvary vs. Williamsville

• 10:30 AM - Raymond Lincolnwood vs. New Berlin

• Noon - Troy Triad vs. Jacksonville

• 1:30 PM - Glenwood vs. Normal U-High

• 3:00 PM - Southeast vs. Rochester

• 4:30 PM - Springfield vs MacArthur

• 6:00 PM - Lanphier vs. Eisenhower

• 7:30 PM - SHG vs Lincoln

[Loyd Kirby]